Next chapter for you guys. If you are waiting for the next instalment in my story Cramped, it will be out either tomorrow or Thursday. I had a little computer trouble and it deleted all my files but I'm almost done with them so sorry about it being a little on the late side. I promise it's still coming.
Chapter 12:
It Was the Past
There had been many things in Erza's life that she had regretted.
One would have been the haircut she had had in her graduation photos. A younger her had thought it would have been a good idea to give herself a haircut the night before.
Another would have been the car she bought during the second year of her university. Though it looked nice on the outside, it had more problems than any car had the right to have.
A third might have been the dress she chose to wear tonight. With its daring neckline it had her feeling exposed.
But her biggest regret was the boy she let leave. The one she let walk through her door to move across the country. That was her one "what if". And now through chance. Fate. Destiny. Whatever one wanted to call it, she was seeing him again. Tonight.
Fourteen years and she hadn't forgotten the shape of his face or the sound of his voice. Sometimes during long nights, she swore she could still remember the softness of his hands. For months after he had left she had tricked herself into believing that he was coming back. She saw his face in every crowd, just out of reach, just a stride ahead. But he wasn't. He had left and she was sure she had lost him forever. Until life dealt them another turn and she found herself playing another round of the same game. Tonight would mark the beginning of something else, and maybe by seeing him again, she would finally be able to mute the voice that still clung to hope in the back of her mind.
"I'm not juvenile!"
"Ignoring someone 'cause you're a little high strung ain't acting like a mature adult," Gajeel laughed.
"That's not why I'm ignoring you," Levy snapped, slamming her book closed. "I just don't know how much I want to talk to someone who can't tell me the truth."
He had the dignity to look guilty, but only for a second before his smirk once again emerged on his face. "Ya ain't still sore about that are ya?"
Levy glared at him as she went back to stroking Lily along his back. "I bet you wouldn't take it lightly if I lied to you."
"Try me."
If there was one thing that Levy couldn't stand was people underestimating her. Sometimes she felt it was because she wanted to prove she was more than her size, but most times it was because she had a wicked competitive streak. Sure she usually tried to keep out of fights featuring feats of strength, but this challenge was one of the mind. And she would refuse to lose.
"Maybe I'll take you up on that."
He saw that glint in her eye and something fierce burned in him. He too was always up for a challenge, and his little Shrimp seemed to come alive with his words. And he couldn't wait to see what she came up with.
"But for now you need to leave," she said, rising to her feet and handing him back his cat, but not before kissing him on his furry head one last time. "You stay out of trouble you little rascal."
"Juvia my angel, I have the most romantic evening planned for us."
It wasn't much later that Gray took a swing at him. She looked back and forth between the two boys. Lyon was sitting on the ground where he had fallen, rubbing his jaw, while Gray stood looming over him.
"Why don't you be a little more uncultured, Gray?" Lyon snapped, pulling himself to his feet.
"I'm the uncultured one? At least I don't try to force myself onto unwilling girls."
"Unwilling? Juvia is an angel, I was just being a fitting prince."
"You don't get to talk about her wants. You don't know her."
Juvia's heart soared. Her precious Gray-sama was willing to fight this dragon for her.
"Like you know her any more then I do, brother."
Brother? Who was this white-haired boy. Juvia could remember him from a couple of times when she had hung out with Gray. Of course he was in her class, and she recognised him enough to smile when they saw each other on campus, but brother? Gray had never once mentioned him, not that he talked a lot about his personal life.
"Boys!"
The brothers and her both turned towards the voice to find their professor striding towards them. "If it's an argument over a girl, why don't you settle it like men. The way to a lady's heart is to win her favour," Guildarts stated, stopping beside Juvia and placing his hand on her shoulder. "I will approve of a fight between the two of you. Winner gets the girl."
That snapped Gray's attention. "Juvia is not a prize."
"You think the girly is unwilling? What about it, Juvia?" Guildarts asked, turning to face the quiet girl.
The quiet girl who straightened her shoulders and looked him square in the eyes, no doubt in her voice. "My Gray-sama will win. I am not worried."
"Then a fight it is. Tomorrow after class you will meet in the gym, be ready. But until then, no one will talk. The next time you see each other, it will be in the ring."
"Fine," Lyon snapped, storming off down the path.
Gray turned towards Juvia who was gifting him a smile. "Great," he muttered before turning in the opposite direction.
"Gray-sama!" She called after him, but Guildarts' hand on her shoulder stopped her from running to him. "Gray-sama, I know you'll win because you have to. Juvia will wait until you do."
Yukino picked up another slice of cake. Mira had really outdone herself. Even on top of making all the food for tonight, she somehow still managed to make food for the workers too. A table of snacks all portioned on to small trays or delicately placed onto folded napkins lay in one of the rooms beside the kitchen. Movers, waiters, cooks and other workers alike swarmed around it.
"Two pieces of cake. Most ladies wouldn't think of having one, especially on top of the other sweets I saw you eating earlier."
Yukino turned towards the voice, not surprised to see the young blond from earlier a couple feet away from her, the brunette hiding in the shadows at his back.
"Most ladies also wouldn't want you pointing out that they have eaten too much."
Sting smiled at her choice of words and made his way to stand beside her. "I wouldn't have guessed you were one to care what people thought of you."
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye before taking another forkfull. "What would make you say that? We have met only once for a couple brief minutes."
"I've been told I have a great talent at guessing people's personalities," he laughed, winking at her.
She placed her fork against her lips in thought. "And who might have told you that?"
"A great many people."
"I think I would like to meet these people you speak of, Mr. Eucliffe," she claimed, taking another bite of her cake.
It took him a moment to realise the implication she put on his name. "Who told you?"
"No one. But I've been told my talent for observation is a rare one."
"How did you find out?"
Yukino sighed, and dabbed her lips with a napkin before disposing of it. "It wasn't really that hard. You and your partner over there were front page news a couple months back, taking over Unison from its previous owners and reshaping it as a good company, ignoring its shady background."
"It wasn't much."
Yukino looked him over before she picked up her ever present clipboard from where she put it on the table next to her. "I wouldn't be so sure. Not many people can look past such past as your company had. It was a huge scandal when it was uncovered. I wouldn't sell yourself short. What you did was incredible."
She left him once again staring after her, a look of awe in his eyes.
Like every week I have my Super Special Thanks Award, this week going out to: YankeeSamson, taboadayvonne, omfgNaLuontheroad (thanks so much), XxXxLoveTheGamexXxX, Ambitious Rookie, Tukiyo Kitsune, and MisaRin. Plus all of you that read, keep the reviews coming.
I would also to thank all those of you that read my NaLu oneshot: Cooking up Romance. Cause it is a oneshot, I'll post my thanks here. So thanks to: J.C., Aya Rose, Zahia, booklover551, Loso, SingingAngel327, DancesWithSeatbelts, 31, Katia XD, Matcha-Chan, ScarletFlame07, Dark Shining Light, RandoAnon, MisaRin, Shaerlis, wizzy5682, Aoifan91, ashinsky, Ace101Mega, ChibiEmirii, semi-absorbed, jj, and last Gekko No Kasumi.
Love you all for reading and see you next week my lovelies.
